"Well?" said Allingham, as the party stamped awkwardly into the room,
after a preliminary shuffling upon the mat. "What luck?"
"Not much, doctor," announced the inspector, removing his hat and
disclosing a fringe of carroty hair. "We 'aint found your man, and so
far as I can judge we 'aint likely to. But we've found these."
He laid the Clockwork man's hat and wig on the table. Gregg instantly
picked them up and began examining them with great curiosity.
"And young Tom Driver here, he's seen the man himself," resumed the
inspector. "That's 'ow we come by the 'at and wig. Tell the gentlemen
what you saw, Tom."
Tom Driver was a backward youth at the best of times, but he seemed
quite overcome by the amount of responsibility now thrust upon him. He
shuffled forward, pressing his knees together and holding a tattered
cap between his very dirty fingers. A great shock of curly yellow
hair fell almost over his large brown eyes, and his face was long and
pinched.
"I see the man," he began, timidly, "I see 'im as I was going along the
path to Bapchurch."
"Was he going very fast?" said Gregg.
"No, sir, he weren't walking at all. He'd fallen into the chalk pit
just by Rock's Bottom."
Allingham burst out into a great roar of laughter; but Gregg merely
smiled and listened.
"That's 'ow I come to see 'im," said Tom, shifting his cap about
uneasily. "I was in a bit of a 'urry 'cos mother said I wasn't to be
late for tea, and I'd been into the town to buy butter as we was a bit
short. As I come by Rock's Bottom--and you know 'ow the path bends a
bit sharp to the left where the chalk pit lies--it's a bit awkward for
anyone 'as don't know the path--"
"Yes, go on," said Gregg, impatiently.
"Well, as I was coming along I see something moving about just at the
top of the pit. At first I thought it was a dog, but when I come nearer
I could see it was a pair of legs, kicking. Only they was going so fast
you couldn't hardly tell one from t'other. Well, I ran up, thinking
'as very likely someone 'ad fallen in, and sure enough it was someone.
I caught 'old of the legs, and just as I was about to pull 'im out--"
"Did the legs go on kicking?" said Gregg, quickly.
"Yes, sir, I 'ad a job to 'old them. And then, just as I was going to
pull 'im out, I noticed something--"
Tom paused for a moment and began to tremble. His teeth chattered
violently, and he looked appealingly at his listeners as though afraid
to continue.
"Go on, Tom," commanded Inspector Grey. "Spit it out, lad. It's got to
be said."
"He--He--hadn't got no back to his head," blurted out Tom at last.
"What!" rapped out Allingham.
"There you are," said Tom, cowering and glancing reproachfully at the
inspector, "I told you as 'ow t'gentlemen wouldn't believe me. T'aint
likely as anybody would believe it as 'adn't seen it for themselves."
"But what did you see?" enquired Gregg, kindly. "What was there to be
seen?"
Tom's eyes searched the room as though looking for something. Gregg
was standing with his back to the fire-place, but noticing that Tom
seemed to be trying to look behind him, he moved away. Tom immediately
pointed to the clock that stood on the mantelpiece.
"It was a clock," he said, slowly, "just like that one, only more so,
in a manner of speaking. I mean it 'ad more 'ands and figures, and they
was going round very fast. But it 'ad a glass face just like that one,
and it was stuck on 'is 'ead just where the back ought to be. The sun
was shining on it at first. That's why I couldn't be sure what it was
for a long time. But when I looked closer, I could see plain enough,
and it made me feel all wobbly, sir."
"Was there a loud noise?" asked Gregg.
"No, sir, not then. But the 'ands was moving very fast, and there
was a sort of 'umming going on like a lot of clocks all going on at
once, only quiet like. I was so taken back I didn't know what to do,
but presently I caught 'old of 'is legs and tried to pull 'im out.
It weren't a easy job, 'cos 'is legs was kicking all the time, and
although I 'ollered out to 'im 'e took no notice. At last I dragged
'im out, and 'e lay on the grass, still kicking. 'E never even tried
to get up, and at last I took 'old of his shoulders and picked 'im
up. And then, as soon as I got 'im up and stood 'im on his feet, and
afore I 'ad time to 'ave a good look at 'im, off he goes, like greased
lightning. An awful noise started, like machinery, and afore I 'ad
time to turn round 'e was down the path towards Bapchurch and out of
sight. I tell you, sir, it gave me a proper turn."
"But how did you come by these?" questioned Gregg, who was still
holding the hat and wig.
"I see them lying in the pit," explained Tom, "they must 'ave dropped
off 'is 'ead as he lay there. Of course, 'e 'adn't fallen very far,
otherwise 'is legs wouldn't ave been sticking up. It 'aint very steep
just there, and 'is 'ead must 'ave caught in a bit of furze. But the
'at and wig 'ad rolled down to the bottom. After 'e'd gone I climbed
down and picked them up."
Gregg passed the hat and wig to Allingham, and whispered something. The
other looked at the inside of the hat. There was a small label in the
centre, with the following matter printed upon it:--